


Star-crossed Lovers

by Bass_Line



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Full of common misunderstandings, It's not as bad as what the title suggests, LisaMoca and YukiRan briefly mentioned, Many characters only have a brief cameo in the party scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:40:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21952351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bass_Line/pseuds/Bass_Line
Summary: "How cruel, do you not foresee a future with us two?""Not unless you count me strangling you."
Relationships: Aoba Moca/Imai Lisa, Hazawa Tsugumi/Hikawa Hina, Maruyama Aya/Shirasagi Chisato, Matsubara Kanon/Hikawa Sayo, Minato Yukina/Mitake Ran, Okusawa Misaki/Seta Kaoru
Comments: 1
Kudos: 63





	Star-crossed Lovers

**Author's Note:**

> I actually wrote this in July, and had planned to post it on Misaki's birthday but writer's block hit me. Plus I wasn't satisfied with 70% of what I wrote so I deleted that portion and rewrote it two days ago such that it works for Christmas.
> 
> Happy Holidays to all of you!

"Love is fleeting, is it not?" Chisato grumbled, why was it that the first thing Kaoru uttered was about love? In the first place, who the hell gave her permission to sit with Chisato? It sure as hell wasn't her, so why was she subjecting herself to torture? "What do you think?"

"I think that you need to get the hell away from me."

"Someone seems distressed today, allow me to be your ear." Kaoru laughed, either not getting the hint or simply choosing to ignore Chisato's venom-filled reply. The actress groaned, it seemed that she wouldn't be able to rid herself of the flamboyant girl that day.

"We both know that you're almost always the source of my distress. I should ask, what can I do for _you_ my dear Kao-chan." Chisato sighed, she had an idea to what Kaoru had problems with but was hoping it wasn't the case. ’ _She better not say that she likes Kanon or else we're going to have a serious problem here…'_

"My, how astute of you Chisato!" Again, Kaoru laughed at the latter's comment. This time though, there was a noticeable blush colouring her cheeks. "I suppose it's due to the fact that we're star-crossed lovers."

"I hope you mean me and you and not your actual crush."

"How cruel, do you not foresee a future with us two?"

"Not unless you count me strangling you." Chisato rolled her eyes, she had enough of this banter. "You do realise that star-crossed lovers refer to a doomed relationship right?"

"Of course, I may not understand Shakespeare but I at least know what it means." Chisato was slightly impressed, she didn't expect Kaoru to indirectly admit that she had been misquoting Shakespeare half the time. "No, I meant that the person who I care for will be doomed should we ever date."

"It better not be Kanon."

"No, not her." Kaoru shook her head, she knew how protective her childhood friend was towards the drummer, plus she suspected that they were in a relationship so all the more to not fall for her. "I'm not interested in getting between you two."

"I- what?!" Chisato audibly gasped, how did Kaoru come to the conclusion that she was dating Kanon?! "How the hell did you come to that conclusion?!"

"You're very protective of her yes?"

"That does _not_ translate to being in love with her!"

"You two often go out for tea together yes?"

"We both like tea damn it!"

"You two often get lost together yes?"

"That's because we both suck with directions!" Chisato groaned, she wasn't planning to play the straight man for the rest of the afternoon. After all, her getting an actual day off was extremely rare. "Just tell me who do you like already."

"E-Eh?! But…" Kaoru trailed off, unwilling to reveal her crush. Chisato didn't really care either way, all she wanted was Kaoru to leave her alone to enjoy her now cold tea. Damn that Kaoru, ruining tea with her love problems.

"Seems like you have it all under control." Chisato shrugged, intending to leave Kaoru alone but the pitiful whimpers from the latter made her reconsider. "... Oh fine. Just stop acting like some pitiful brat, it's really annoying."

"I… may or may not be entering a love triangle should I say it out."

"... Kaoru, now I'm starting to worry."

"For me? Chisato, you shouldn't ha-"

"I'm worried for the couple you're trying to break up."

"... Oh." Kaoru looked dejected, but what was Chisato supposed to say? Oh go ahead and break a perfectly happy couple up? Reality would never end up like the sappy romance movies Chisato starred in. "Yeah, you're right. I shouldn't break up Misaki and Kokoro…"

"What do you even see in that rich bimbo?" In hindsight, Chisato probably shouldn't have called Kokoro such. According to Sayo's personal experience, Kokoro was in fact highly gifted in many activities. Still, both of them regarded Kokoro as an idiot due to her lack of common sense, so it was probably fine if she was deemed a bimbo.

"Misaki isn't a bimbo!"

"Misa- oh. That makes more sense."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Hm? Oh no, I just assumed that your taste in girls were terrible. Misaki-chan's a nice girl."

"Are you indirectly insulting Misaki's taste in women?" Chisato shook her head, that wasn't what she meant to imply at all. "Anyways, how should I deal with it?"

"How should I know? I can't help you with that."

"You're in love with Aya, who's dating Hina are you not?" Chisato stiffened, how did Kaoru know about her crush on Aya?! She was pretty sure she kept it to herself, so was she that obvious? "I'm sure you have some ways to deal with… unrequited crushes."

"You were just messing with me when you said that I like Kanon weren't you?"

"Love is fleeting, who is to say that your heart has no place for two women?"

"... I'm not dealing with this now." Chisato decided that she should end the conversation, hence why she immediately rose from her seat and started to head for the exit. "You want my advice? Stop thinking about Misaki-chan and accept that you'll never be able to date her."

"C-Chi-chan! Wait!" Kaoru tried stopping Chisato, but she stormed off before she could do anything. "... You didn't even finish your tea…"

* * *

"Here you go Maruyama-san." Originally, Misaki was planning to head home after her part-time job… but Aya had called out to her the second she removed Michelle's head. Thus, she was sort of forced to hang out with Aya until it got late enough. "Strawberry right?"

"Yup! Thanks Misaki-chan!" Aya smiled, accepting the ice cream from Misaki. They were at a park, with Yukina in the distance but she was too engrossed petting stray cats to notice them. "It must be tiring to be inside Michelle all afternoon."

"I'm used to it." Misaki licked her own ice cream, she wasn't sure what to get so she got soda-flavoured ice cream. It fizzed on her tongue, leaving a slightly sour aftertaste. "Why did you call out to me, need something?"

"I want to get your advice on something…" Misaki raised an eyebrow, there were only so many things people could come to her for advice. "It's about Chisato-chan…"

"Oh god, don't remind me." Misaki groaned, she had an inkling to what Aya was about to ask. In fact, it was something that had rubbed her the wrong way since… well, ever since she once witnessed Kaoru and Chisato bantering at CiRCLE cafe. "I want to know if they're dating but it's not like I can just _ask_!"

"You're in love with Chisato-chan too?!"

"Not her, Kaoru-san! Why the fuck would I be in love with someone I barely talk to?!" Not to mention scary, but Misaki wasn't going to tell a lovestruck Aya that. "But whatever, I'm in the same boat as you."

"Right?! If only there's some way to tell if they're actually dating or not…" Aya muttered, not wanting to lose hope. Besides, Chisato always expressed her distaste for Kaoru, so surely… "What if Chisato-chan likes Kanon-chan?"

"Kanon-san? No way, she's definitely not into Shirasagi-san." That Misaki was sure of, they were clearly good friends and nothing more. "I'm kinda surprised that you're not into Hina-san."

"Bweh?! Hina-chan's just a friend!" Aya sputtered, her cheeks turning all red as Misaki took another lick at her ice cream. "... Besides I'm pretty sure she's dating either Maya-chan or Tsugumi-chan…"

"Huh. You learn something new every day." Misaki shrugged, allowing silence to take over. She was surprised that Aya's ice cream wasn't anywhere close to melting, though it was already autumn which probably was the reason why it didn't melt yet. "... So whaddya gonna do?"

"Heh? Um… I don't know? I'm not giving up for sure, you shouldn't too!"

"Haha, asking Kaoru-san out sounds way more feasible than convincing her that Michelle's just a mascot. You think she would get the idea after finding out that Hagumi was Marie Andromeda but no, she still doesn't get it. Neither does Kokoro nor Hagumi to be honest, they're all idiots."

"Oh wow… How does Hagumi-chan not realise?"

"Again, she's a fucking dumbass."

"Hmm, I don't think it's a bad thing? Maybe they all have their reasons for believing that mascots are actually real animals."

"You try getting your identity erased for months. It took Kokoro that long to remember my name, all she knew about me was Michelle's agent." Misaki scoffed, if she had a choice she would've burnt Michelle… actually no, she would just lock Michelle up where no one could ever find her. "You show up as a cat mascot in front of Minato-san and-"

"Cat mascot?" All of a sudden, Yukina was standing before them with cats perched on her body. Aya yelped, not expecting Yukina to hear them from where she was. "Where?"

"I-I was just listing an example to Maruyama-san!" Yukina looked dejected and so did the cats on her body, Misaki couldn't believe that Sayo was telling her the truth when she said that Yukina goes crazy for cats. "Random question, are you dating anyone?"

"... That's none of your business."

"Right… is Imai-san dating anyone then?"

"Aoba-san."

"Huh, you're actually dating Mitake-san. I gotta pay Tomoe-san then."

"Misaki-chan, why are you making bets on our friends' love life?!"

* * *

"Kaoru-san, what's wrong?" Maya asked, surprised to Kaoru slumped in her chair with a despaired look on her handsome features. Kaoru sighed, mumbling about how something was fleeting. "What did you say was fleeting?"

"Love. Love is a fleeting thing, yet it's so easy to get swept up in it…" Maya blinked, what was Kaoru talking about this time? Before she could ask further, the door swung open with a loud bang. The culprit was none other than Hina, who had a bright smile on her face as she made her way to Kaoru and Maya. Tsugumi poked out from the doorframe, an apologetic look on her face as she trailed behind the student council president.

"Heyo~ What's with the weird sighing?" Hina asked, unable to read the atmosphere. Tsugumi squeaked, immediately apologising in Hina's place by furiously bowing in Kaoru's direction. "Ahaha! Tsugu-chan, why are you bowing so much?"

"H-Hina-senpai! I'm sure Seta-senpai had her reasons for being depressed!"

"I know Misaki would never look at me the way I look at her… but to see her smiling around Kokoro… Ah, sadness isn't as fleeting as I thought…"

"To sum up, Seta-san's upset that Okusawa-san's dating Tsurumaki-san…" Maya explained, patting Kaoru's shoulder sympathetically. Tsugumi nodded at the explanation, while Hina cocked her head in confusion. "A-Anyways Hina-san, have you cleared up the misconception with Chisato-san?"

"Heh? What misconception?" Hina asked, a tad too cheerfully given the nature of Maya's question. The drummer sighed, that most likely meant no. Kaoru was still sighing away, while Tsugumi was left standing in the theatre club room without any knowledge to what she was supposed to do.

"Never mind…"

* * *

"Let's have a Christmas party!" Kokoro declared during one of the band's discussion sessions, with Hagumi instantly agreeing to the suggestion. Kanon was too flustered to respond, while Misaki groaned at the prospect. All she wanted was to spend Christmas in peace, and now she had to spend it with three idiots?

 _'Okay spending Christmas with Kaoru-san is kinda romantic. If only she wasn't an idiot…'_ Misaki thought to herself as she glanced at Kaoru, who responded with a dazzling smile. Misaki could feel her face heating up after seeing Kaoru's smile, which resulted in her slapping her cheeks in an attempt to stop smiling like a damn idiot. _'Oh god, I'm a gay idiot and I'm dumb enough to be happy at that cute smile of hers.'_

"Misaki-chan, are you okay?" Kanon asked worriedly, for she had witnessed Misaki slapping herself numerous times for no reason at all. "Your cheeks are really red…"

"I'm fine." Misaki mumbled, her thoughts going back to the conversation she had with Aya at the park. Maybe Kanon knew about Chisato's love life? It was possible, after all they were good friends. "Um… Kanon-san?"

"Yes?"

"A-Are you dating Shirasagi-san?" Misaki blurted out, that was _not_ how she wanted to go about the topic. Either way, it sent Kanon into a fue-ing fit. "K-Kanon-san?!"

"Kano-chan-senpai! Are you okay?" Hagumi intervened, much to Misaki's relief. At least she wouldn't have to deal with Kanon's distress as much as she was the cause of it. "Do you want croquettes?! Hagumi brought lots today!"

"Fufu… It seems that even Kanon thinks about romance." Misaki sighed, of course her life had to get more complicated. Good thing Kokoro went off to find her bodyguards to tell them about the party, she didn't need more trouble. "What about you Misaki? Do you have a special someone?"

"I already have my hands full dealing with Kokoro." Misaki replied, briefly glancing at Kaoru. She was surprised to see a frown on the guitarist's face, and was equally surprised to see Kaoru forcing a smile on her features. "Why do you ask?"

"It's natural to be interested in a friend's life, is it not?"

"I suppose." Misaki shrugged, realising that it was the perfect opportunity to ask about Kaoru's own love life. "What about you? Do you have someone you're interested in?"

"I…" Kaoru paused, considering how she should respond. As much as she liked Misaki, she wasn't sure if the latter felt the same way. Hence, Kaoru decided that she would imply that it was her that she liked without making it obvious. "She's reliable… and really kind despite her exterior. My heart sings whenever I'm around her, even though she doesn't feel the same way."

 _'Oof, and here I thought I'll be wallowing in the unrequited zone. Having one-sided feelings towards Shirasagi-san is real rough…'_ Misaki grimaced, she understood the pains of having one-sided feelings after all. With that thought in mind, she nodded understandingly to Kaoru. "I get it."

"You do?" Kaoru replied, a relieved smile tugging on her lips as she hugged Misaki. Misaki gasped, a hug was definitely not what she expected… but something that she welcomed. Even if she disliked physical contact, but Kaoru didn't need to know that. "You have no idea how wonderful it is for you to get it."

"Right… I have no idea indeed…" Misaki wheezed, she could feel her ribs getting crushed with every passing second. Thank god for Kokoro, who cartwheeled herself back into the room they were in. "Hey Kokoro, so what's the status on the party?"

"We're inviting everyone!"

"I'm sorry, what?!"

* * *

"It's a wrap!" Aya sighed in relief, she felt like she was about to faint any second. Who could blame her though? It was nearing the end of the year and as idols, they had to participate in numerous events as well as film a birthday party for Aya herself. The plus side was that they had completed their last event for the year, which meant that Pastel*Palettes had the remaining year to themselves.

"Good work Aya-chan." Chisato handed the pink-haired idol a hot towel, which the latter gratefully accepted. She glanced around to check if Hina was nearby, the last thing she wanted to see after a hectic day was Hina flirting with Aya. "Say Aya-chan, will you be attending Kokoro-chan's Christmas party?"

"Mmhm, it's a nice way to spend Christmas with our friends." Aya replied, pressing the towel to her cheeks. "Haa~ This is the best…"

"Even though it's a private event, make sure that you'll be professional."

"Geez, I know that Chisato-chan!" Aya pouted, though she was brimming with happiness on the inside. She knew Chisato only fussed over people she cared for, therefore it thrilled her to know that she belonged to that category. "What about you?"

"I'll be attending, _someone_ has to keep Kanon company after all." Aya frowned, even though Misaki had reassured her that Kanon wasn't dating Chisato… the mere possibility was enough to leave her upset. She knew that she didn't really have a right to be upset since her feelings were never made known to Chisato, but it was still a horrible thought for her to entertain. "What's wrong? You look like you've been tricked into eating takoyaki again."

"Chisato-chan, do you have anyone you like?"

"Aya-chan, you know full well that idols aren't allowed to date right?"

"But idols can fall in love right?"

"Not really…" Chisato sighed, it was probably better for her if she played along. Maybe she could find out why Aya was no longer in a good mood. "I suppose she'll be kind… and maybe easily flustered. It wouldn't hurt for her to have an innocence so pure that your first thought is to protect it at all costs."

"You're into girls Chisato-chan?" Aya asked, surprised that Chisato chose to use a female as her example. This depressed Aya even more, as it meant that she didn't actually have a chance now that Chisato just described Kanon. So much for Misaki's reassurance.

"I didn't say anything." Chisato brushed off the question like water off a duck's back, instead playing with Aya's hair. It was better for them to not talk about romance, especially with how possessive fans could get. _'If only we weren't idols…'_

* * *

"Misaki-chan, it's nice to see you out of Michelle!" Aya greeted a visibly stressed Misaki, who responded with grunts. The Christmas party was in full swing, and the attendees were happily mingling around. It was a good thing that it was held at the Tsurumaki residence, for all of the invited girls showed up. Which meant that there were 30 girls and a few of Kokoro's bodyguards in the party hall. "How are you?"

"I am depression."

"Oof, but same." Both girls sighed, their thoughts wandering back to the conversations they had with their respective crushes. "What did Kaoru-chan tell you?"

"She described Shirasagi-san to me, you?"

"Kanon-chan." Misaki shook her head, lamenting their love lives. She could feel someone tapping on her shoulder, and it was revealed to be Sayo after turning around. Aya had also turned around, surprised to see Sayo holding two glasses to them. "Sayo-chan?"

"Good evening to you two, have a drink." Both girls nodded, accepting the gesture. "Okusawa-san I can understand, but I'm rather surprised that you're not enjoying the party Maruyama-san."

"Ahaha…" Aya could only awkwardly chuckle, was it that uncharacteristic for her to not enjoy the party? In the background, she could see Hina leading Tsugumi in a series of twirling. Boisterous laughter was heard from Kokoro, Hagumi, Kasumi and Eve, while Moca was clearly teasing Ran about Yukina. "What about you Sayo-chan?"

"Hina's busy dancing with her girlfriend, and I don't wish to interrupt them."

"Oh wow, you're actually right." Misaki commented, wincing as Himari had accidentally knocked a few glasses over. Tomoe and Lisa immediately went to her aid, helping her to clean up the drinks spilt. She observed Tae miming rabbit ears to Rei, who was grinning like a lovestruck fool. Chiyu and Reona seemed to be admiring the decorations, with Masuki piling desserts onto Rokka's plate. "Anyways, thanks for the drink Sayo-san."

"It's no problem." Sayo replied, her gaze focused on both girls. To Misaki, it seemed that she was considering telling them something but wasn't sure if it was her place to say anything. "... Maruyama-san."

"Y-Yes?!" Aya squeaked, briefly reminded of that one time she was stopped at the gate because her hair wasn't brushed properly. Chisato had saved her back then, and she even brushed Aya's hair with her soft hands of hers.

"Shirasagi-san was looking for you. She said that she'll be waiting at the balcony."

"Really?!" Aya's pink eyes lit up instantly, her excitement soon on pause. "Wait, how do I get there?"

"Go up the stairs and make a left." Misaki instructed, to which Aya cheerfully left. "... Shirasagi-san wasn't actually looking for her, was she?"

"No, but I'm sure she would enjoy Maruyama-san's company." Sayo folded her arms, her eyes roaming towards the direction of the garden Hello, Happy World! held their tea parties at. "You should join Seta-san in the gardens, it's quieter too."

"... What are you playing at?"

"Minato-san may have complained to me about how the two of you are hopelessly useless when it comes to romance." Realisation dawned on Misaki as she recounted how Yukina was also present at the park when she and Aya were basically pouring their hearts over their unrequited crushes. "Go ahead Okusawa-san, I'm sure I can find a nice corner to hide in for the entire duration of the party."

"That's so sad, I have no words for it." Misaki commented, earning herself a rare smile from Sayo. "Merry Christmas Sayo-san."

"And to you too." With that, Misaki left to find Kaoru. Sayo huffed, the things she had to do. It would be funny if it was just Yukina, but even _Hina_ complained to her about how Chisato was jumping to wrong conclusions. Not only that, her beloved Kanon had confided in her about how Kaoru was too scared to make a move on Misaki. _'I hope Matsubara-san didn't lose her way in the hall…'_

* * *

"Kaoru-san, aren't you cold?" Kaoru nearly gasped in surprise, she didn't expect anyone to notice her absence at the party. Except Chisato, but she had left for the balcony for reasons unknown. "I know I call you an idiot, but this is too idiotic even for you."

"Well, your presence has certainly brought me warmth." Kaoru grandly replied, sneezing seconds later. That wasn't the impression she wanted to leave on Misaki, but it made her smile so freezing her ass off was worth it. _'Here's hoping that I won't get hypothermia.'_

"You're a damn idiot." Misaki let out a resigned sigh as she draped a blanket that she had gotten from one of the bodyguards on her way out. Good thing they had them on hand, the blanket was warm and _really_ snuggly. "Don't catch a cold you idiot."

"What would I do without you?"

"Freeze to death maybe?" Misaki suggested, both of them breaking out in unrestrained laughter seconds later. "Seriously though, what are you doing outside?"

"I'm just…" Kaoru stopped, how could she say that she didn't wish to see the sight of Misaki with Kokoro? Granted, they hadn't once interacted throughout the party but who was to say that they wouldn't interact at all? "I didn't wish to make the little kittens swoon at my presence, that would defeat the spirit of Christmas after all."

"I assumed that you'll use this opportunity to get closer to Shirasagi-san." Misaki realised what she had said afterwards, but it was too late to retract her assumption. Might as well roll with it, she thought as she turned to face Kaoru. "You're in a one-sided relationship with her right?"

"Why would you ever say that, especially since I told you a few days ago that it's _you_ who has my affection?" Kaoru replied, a tinge of hurt laced in her words as she averted her eyes from Misaki. Misaki blinked, when did Kaoru ever mention her? "You even said that you understood what I was saying."

"I thought you're trying to tell me that you're in an unrequited relationship, and I said that I understood because…" Misaki's face flushed a bright red, now that it was revealed that Kaoru liked her back, it sounded horribly stupid to admit that she had assumed that Kaoru was in love with Chisato. "Never mind, forget it. It's a fucking stupid assumption on my part. You'll hate me if I finish it anyway."

"Misaki…" Kaoru wrapped her arms around Misaki's waist, bringing them closer to each other. Misaki flinched, she hadn't realised it before but Kaoru was apparently a walking icicle. Her hands were colder than expected, and Misaki could feel it despite the dress separating their skin from each other. "I'll never hate you. I care for you, and my feelings for you won't waver."

"... Fine. I thought my feelings for you were unrequited." Misaki groaned, she just wanted to crawl into a hole and hide away from society. Or maybe join Sayo in her corner and be forgotten by the other girls until the party was over, both options sounded appealing to her. "... Say something."

"Actually… I've had the same thought." Kaoru admitted, secretly relieved that Misaki was unable to see how red her cheeks were. Misaki most likely fell in love with her princely side, a blush would be enough to shatter that side of her. "I-I thought that you're dating Kokoro, and I didn't wish to see the two of you flirting. Hence why I chose to hide out here…"

"Haa… Seems like we've both been worrying about the same things." Misaki laughed, to think that they had the same worry. She turned around such that she was face to face with Kaoru, much to the latter's embarrassment. "I didn't know you can blush like that, it's cute."

"I-I… I would rather you not see me in such state…" Kaoru mumbled, fretting over how uncool she looked in front of Misaki. Misaki hummed in amusement, leading the guitarist towards the direction of the party hall. "Misaki?"

"C'mon, we can go find a mistletoe. I'm sure the black suits set up a few somewhere." Misaki suggested, which made Kaoru grin. Trust Misaki to need a reason to kiss her girlfriend, of course such particularity to details was one of the many things that Kaoru loved about the DJ. _'I wonder how's Maruyama-san doing…?'_

* * *

"Chisato-chan!" Said girl blinked as Aya approached her, having gotten lost in the process. Thank goodness for the maids she walked upon, even though they were doing something that would leave Aya traumatised for a while. She nearly stopped as she was spellbound by how the moonlight silhouetted Chisato's petite frame, the latter's violet eyes practically glowing in the dark. "Sayo-chan said that you wanted to see me!"

"When did I-" Chisato stopped, did she just say that Sayo was the one who told her? If so, then Sayo must have an ulterior motive in lying to Aya. The actress decided to play along, it helped that she got to have Aya all to herself. "... I did indeed."

"Hehe, I'm glad that you called me out here." Aya smiled, she was thrilled that she got to spend personal time with Chisato. She stood beside Chisato, glancing at the garden below them. There, she saw Misaki and Kaoru talking to each other. "I hope things go well for Misaki-chan, she really likes Kaoru-chan."

"I wonder what does she see in Kaoru-chan, but they would make a good couple." Chisato agreed, hoping that Kaoru was able to confess to Misaki. She had enough of Kaoru pining to her about Misaki, and she didn't need a sore reminder that Aya was taken. "How are things with Hina-chan?"

"She gave me aroma oil as a present, it's rosemary I think?" Aya replied, unaware that Chisato had assumed that she was dating Hina. Chisato nodded, suppressing a frown that threatened to surface. "What about you and Kanon-chan?"

"She has given me a felt model of Leon for a present, it's in his likeness too." Aya sighed, of course Kanon had to get Chisato something. How was she supposed to give Chisato her present now? "Will you be spending your birthday with Hina-chan then?"

"Heh? No, I'm pretty sure Hina-chan has a date with Tsugumi-chan on my birthday." Aya blinked, did Chisato not know that Hina was dating Tsugumi? She recounted the day where Hina had told the band about her girlfriend, and her eyes widened as she realised that Chisato had work that day and thus didn't attend that particular rehearsal. "That's right! You weren't here when Hina-chan told us! Oh man, to think that I was unsure between her and Maya-chan…"

"So… you're not dating Hina-chan then?"

"Why would I- we're just good friends! And she's taken!" Chisato breathed a sigh of relief, at least Aya was still single. Even if dating was out of the question, the fact that Aya wasn't in a relationship comforted her. "Wait, did you think that I was dating Hina-chan?!"

"Oh look, Kao-chan's hugging Misaki-chan from behind." Chisato tried distracting Aya by pointing out at the scene in the garden, an action that succeeded for Aya's attention was cast on said girls. Unfortunately, that success was short-lived as Aya soon had her attention on Chisato. "... Okay fine, I _did_ think that you were dating Hina-chan."

"How?!"

"She's always flirting with you, calling you 'babe' and 'darling' and saying how much she loves you for being useless at almost everything!"

"You think _I'm_ useless at everything?!"

"Her words, not mine!" Why were the two idols yelling on a balcony? So much for being professional, Chisato thought. Aya groaned, resting her head on Chisato's shoulder. "We should stop yelling."

"Mm." Aya was tired, who knew yelling took up so much energy? The two of them stood in place, neither of them saying anything. The silence was soon broken by Aya, who decided that it was the perfect time to ask her crush an important question. "Chisato-chan?"

"Hm?"

"You said that idols can't date right?"

"That's right."

"Does that mean that you won't confess to Kanon-chan?" Aya could feel herself losing balance, a result of Chisato whirling her shoulder away from her head. "Kya!"

"What does Kanon have to do with my love life?" Chisato asked, bewildered by Aya's assumptions. It then dawned on her that she had described her crush as someone similar to Kanon. "Did you think I was talking about Kanon back when you asked me about romance?!"

"Well, y-yeah! S-She's _exactly_ like the girl you described!" Aya started to tear up, unable to keep a lid on her emotions. "Bweeeeeeh…"

"Oh Aya-chan…" Chisato sighed, to think both of them had the same kind of misunderstanding. She patted Aya's head in a bid to comfort the pink-haired idol. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, what were the chances of both parties having the same misconception? "Have you ever considered that it's _you_ that I described?"

"Uweh?" Aya raised her head after a while, her eyes red from crying. She couldn't believe what she had just heard, Chisato actually liked _her_? Either this was a dream, or Aya was hearing things. Possibly both. "Did you just say that you liked me?"

"Don't make me repeat it when you've clearly heard it." Aya nodded, her eyes averted from Chisato's harsh gaze out of embarrassment. The latter sighed again, she didn't mean to make Aya feel bad. "... Aya-chan, do you know why idols can't date?"

"Um… it's to make us more appealing to our fans?" That was one answer, by making idols single it made them more desirable to their fans. Not to mention that the jealousy fans could have was unimaginably dangerous. Chisato shook her head, that wasn't the answer she was looking for. "I thought..." 

"No Aya-chan, it's so that we wouldn't risk getting caught by fans." Chisato explained, a wry smile on her face as she glanced down at the gardens below. Kaoru and Misaki were long gone, and honestly that suited Chisato just fine. "Idols _can_ date, just that they _can't_ get caught. But we're all human, therefore we make mistakes. It takes just one mistake to ruin our reputation, that's why it's easier to ban dating altogether."

"Then what about Hina-chan? She's dating Tsugumi-chan though."

"... The fact that I don't know about it means that she's keeping it hidden. Her social media account doesn't show proof that she's dating Tsugumi-chan."

"I… I love you Chisato-chan, and…" Chisato couldn't bear to look at Aya, not when she knew what was coming next. "... and I'm willing to risk my career for you."

"I'm not something worth losing your dreams over. As much as I appreciate the declaration, it's ultimately idealistic." Chisato responded, envying Aya's determination. Even when the odds were against her, Aya didn't give up. Too bad she fell in love with a realist. "The risk is too great for you Aya-chan."

"As selfish as this sounds, but I would rather risk everything than regret not pursuing something with you. Not when a relationship with you is now possible." Chisato could feel both of her eyebrows raising at Aya's reply, was she impressed, moved, or amazed? "... I'm not expecting you to take this risk for me, but I want to at least let you know that I'm serious about you."

"Aya-chan…" For once, Chisato was at a loss for words. Aya gave the actress a brief nod before heading out of the balcony, given that she had said what she wanted to say. Admittedly, Aya was disappointed that dating still wasn't an option, but the fact that Chisato liked her back was enough for her. Before she could exit the balcony however, she was pulled back with a sharp tug. "Please don't go."

"Chisato-chan…" Aya turned to face Chisato, and she was greeted with a pained expression that she had never seen before. Chisato had a tight grip on her arm, and adding the desperation in her voice…

"Is hiding your dating life from everyone really worth it? You know full well that if you date me, your every move will be scrutinised. Do you really want that? Is happiness really worth sacrificing your privacy?" Aya's eyebrows furrowed, why was Chisato so insistent about it?

 _'It's as if Chisato-chan wants affirmation to take a chance…'_ Aya gulped, fearing that she might say the wrong thing. _'Oh heck it, me confessing is already the start of many wrongs. What's one more?'_

"... There won't be severe repercussions if people find out that I'm dating. But you… you're different. You're just an idol without anything to fall back on, and everyone knows how much this means to you." Chisato knew that she should've rejected Aya when she had the chance, but a part of her wanted what Aya wanted from her. "Dating me won't give you the happiness that you're looking for."

" _You_ make me happy, Chisato-chan. It doesn't matter if I have to hide my dating life from everyone, as long as you're beside me…" Chisato sighed, her grip loosening. Her eyes narrowed slightly at Aya, hinting relent. "What about you though? Am I enough to make you happy?"

"I… I want to take that risk with you." The words were forced out, but Aya could see that Chisato meant every word of it. "And... you make me happy. Truly. But…"

"It has to be secret right?" Chisato nodded slowly, to which Aya smiled in response. "That's fine with me! At least I get to have you all to myself!"

"Trust you to look at the positive side of things…" Chisato remarked, a reluctant smile creeping onto her face. "Aya-chan?"

"Hm?"

"Let's have a date at my place, we can even walk Leon in the afternoon."

"Really?! Yay!" Aya made a mental note to resist the urge to post their date as a date, especially since backlash from fans was a very real thing. "When?"

"Two days from now."

"Awwww~ Chisato-chan, you could've just said that you wanted to celebrate my birthday with your girlfriend!" Aya couldn't stop grinning, not even when Chisato made half-hearted complaints about regretting their blossoming relationship. "This is the best Christmas ever!"

* * *

"I swear Matsubara-san, you're the only person I know of that is able to get lost in a party hall." Sayo sighed, escorting Kanon to the large Christmas tree Kokoro had asked to put up. "You're impossible."

"Hehe." Kanon smiled, Sayo fussing over her was simply her way of showing affection. Just like Chisato and Misaki. Her thoughts wandered to said girls, both of them were too stubborn to see that their respective crushes liked them back. Then again, both Kaoru and Aya were clumsy messes that could barely hold a heartfelt conversation without running away. "Thanks for helping me out."

"It's no trouble." Sayo replied, muttering under her breath that she would do anything for Kanon. That didn't go unheard by said girl, which made her smile brighter. "By the way, are you free this weekend? Would you like to go on a date?"

"Absolutely!" It was rare for Sayo to initiate dates, and it showed with how Sayo was nervously tugging on her collar. "Where do you have in mind?"

"I… Hina recommended Hanasakigawa Smile Land since it's fun, but considering that you have a considerable part to play in its success I wasn't sure if that's an appropriate place to bring you for a date." Kanon chuckled, Sayo was cute when she was flustered. Not that she would ever tell the guitarist, Sayo would be less than pleased to hear that. "I also have Hazawa Cafe as a backup plan, but I'm afraid it reflects my thoughtlessness as you've been there many times with Shirasagi-san…"

"Sayo-san, I don't mind as long as you're with me!" Sayo blushed, clearly embarrassed by the reply. Kanon also had a blush on her face, she couldn't believe that she said that so casually. "I-I... That was embarrassing…"

"V-Very much so." Sayo agreed, though she pulled the drummer closer to her. "I… I appreciate it though, and I feel the same way…"

"Make way!" Sayo had pulled Kanon away from what seemed to be a sled with Kokoro, Hagumi and Hina dressed as Santa, which caused them to barrel into a huge pile of presents. "Ahahahaha! Again! Let's do it again!"

"I can't believe you put up with them every day."

"A-Ahaha… They aren't so bad once you get used to them…"

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: The party was supposed to be a masquerade party with almost everyone from both schools attending. That included a masked Kaoru unknowingly kissing a masked Misaki, it was going to be filled with drama but I scrapped it lol. Oh, and Kokoro was supposed to be secretly dating Sayo in the original version.


End file.
